The rules for running a raffle in Alberta, Canada

Each Canadian province is allowed to have its own raffle laws and regulations thanks to the federal government. In the state of Alberta, every legal aspect of holding a raffle is enforced by the AGLC (Alberta Gaming & Liquor Commission). There are certain similarities between Canada’s regions, but in order to run a law-abiding raffle event, you need to contact the corresponding office. In some cases, the province further allows municipalities to create their own, local laws.

In the province of Alberta, raffles are only permitted if they have a charitable cause. You cannot run a legal raffle for personal or financial gains. For this reason, the raffle licenses issued by the AGLC are only given non-profit groups or organizations. In order to be able to start advertising your raffle and print numbered raffle tickets for it, you will have to apply for a license.

However, there’s a prerequisite for the license: eligibility. In order to prove your eligibility for a raffle, you must first submit a form to your local province office. To be deemed eligible to run a raffle, you must provide documentation regarding your non-profit organization and the purpose of the raffle ticket proceeds.

Once you are eligible for a license, the AGLC raffle licence page contains all the details required to complete and submit a form. Currently, there are two types of eligibility forms and licenses that can be issued, based on the value of the ticket proceeds:

Ticket Proceeds of $10,000 or Less

The eligibility application usually takes around 7 days to be processed and approved

If you provide incomplete information, the process of approval may be delayed depending on the missing information

Once your eligibility form has been approved, you will receive an AGLC identification number

The AGLC identification number grants you the possibility to apply for a raffle license from your local Registry office

The license expires when the raffle ends, unlike the AGLC identification number, which can be used again in the future

Ticket Proceeds of More Than $10,000

The latest financial records must be submitted in order to be able to apply for a license

The organization’s charitable mission must be provided through a written statement

In some cases, a lawyer’s trust will be required for the raised funds

In some cases, an outside evaluation of the prize will be required

Similar, the eligibility and licensing processes can be delayed if the provided documents are incomplete

Regulations about what to print on each numbered ticket

The AGLC strictly prohibits the sale of raffle tickets to minors (under the age of 18). Each ticket must have two parts: a stub kept by the organizing party and a body that remains with the buyer. When the time comes to print numbered raffle tickets, the following guidelines must be followed: